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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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68 The Haven Guard was straightway helping at the strand, He who long already, eager by the mere, Had been awatching far-off for the men so dear. He bound that boat of bosom broad with anchor-cordage fast, Lest this their merry vessel the waves away should cast; Then Beowulf bade bear out the wealth of aethelings, The plated gold and trappings. Not far from here it is To seek the son of Hrethel, Giver-of-the- Rings, Where at home he dwelleth, himself with comrades his,Hyglac near the sea-wall. That house was very fair; Its lord a King renowned, the halls were lofty there; And Hygd, of Haereth daughter, was young, but well-beseen, Albeit so few her winters within the burg as queenAye, none the less no chary, no niggard lady she Unto the Geats with giftings, but one with treasures free. [Hygd, the goodly Folk-Queen, showed not the mood of Thryth, Nor Thryth’s misdeeds of terror. Was none of kin and kith So brave, he durst adventure with eyes to face her eyes (Except her husband only). For well would he surmise Bonds of death would ready be, a hand-twisted cord; And hard upon his seizure she’d summon her the sword, For scrolled blade to settle it, and thus his death reveal. ‘T is not a queenly custom, for woman so to deal, E’en though she be so fair of face, aye, such a man to kill (She who’s called ‘Peace- Weaver’), in fury for no ill. But Hemming’s kinsman verily did end her ruthless pride, And men amid their ale-drinking often said beside That less she wrought of folk-bale, and less all mercy scorned, So soon as she was given, she, the gold-adorned, Unto the youthful Fighter, the high-born and good, When at her father’s bidding she voyaged o’er the flood, Unto the hall of Offa; where after on the throne All her life she loved her lot, with a fair renown; And fostered a deep fondness toward this Prince of thanes The best, as some have told me, in all the wide domains, Of all the race of mankind, that dwell the seas between; And therefore this Offa, this Man spear-keen, Widely was honored for wars and gifts of hand; With wisdom he ruled his own home-land. And unto him was born, then, Eomaer, a son Grandson of Garmund, of Hemming’s kinsman one, A mighty man in battle, a help to every band. |
